7/1/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant. Sally Putnam helped Ma paper her parlor. Mrs. P. Showerman & Sarah here afternoon. Uncle Asahel here plastering they finished. James Hamilton helped John.
JCH: James Hamilton came here to help me hoe, Asahel here plastering. Drove the old stime cow away. We heard that our sheep were out of the lot.
7/2/1856 Wednesday Cool & pleasant. Eunice here, we white washed & painted my front room, had some green peas for dinner. James Hamilton & Willard Quance here.
JCH: Willard Quance came here this morning to work hoeing and dragging. James Hamilton here. Hunted after my sheep and found them.
7/3/1856 Thursday Pleasant & warm. Eunice here, we cleaned the south chamber. Austin Buell called. Willard & James Hamilton here to work.
JCH: Hoeing. James Hamilton and Willard Quance here at work.
7/4/1856 Friday Pleasant & cold. Went up to Wm Hamiltons most of our folks there. Called to Father Hamiton & got a tub of sugar about 45 lbs. Elder Putnam here to supper. Austin Buell & Sarah Showerman went to Rochester I expect.
JCH: Fourth of July again. Went up to Mr. Wm Hamiltons. Most all of our folks there. Very pleasant and cool. Elder Putnam here to supper. Father Shepard shingling.
7/5/1856 Saturday Pleasant. Eunice here. Papered my front room. Willard here to work. Pa finished his shingling. Elizabeth took care of Charlie a while .
JCH: Finished hoeing my potatoes. Willard Quance here. Pleasant with some wind. We are finding a good many weevil in the wheat.
7/6/1856 Sunday Pleasant. Our folks went up south to meeting. Took care of Charlie. We went down in the swamp.
JCH: At home. Cool and pleasant. Father and mother Shepard went up south. Went down in the swamp, got some gum.
7/7/1856 Monday Pleasant & cool. We all went down to the village. Pa got my things done well by me, better than I expected. I rode home with Wm Stewart.
JCH: Pleasant. Commenced haying this morning. Went down to Batavia. Father bought Lorette a good many things. We bought fifteen sheep & lambs.
7/8/1856 Tuesday A fine shower afternoon. Mrs P Showerman here. We washed, Ma went down to the village drove the horses.
JCH: Mowing in the forenoon. Was painting windows blinds. Mother Shepard went down to Batavia and drove the horses.
7/9/1856 Wednesday. Our people bought 29 sheep at 9 shillings a head.
JCH: Father Shepard brought home his sheep. Mowing. I owe Father Shepard 45 cents.
7/10/1856 Thursday Very warm. Mrs P Showeman here and finished Ma’s carpet. Eunice here all day. Grandmother Shepard visited here. We finished papering.
JCH: Went down to Billy Ware and bought a horse rake for $4.75. Drew in five loads of hay, fixed a new trough under the pump shed.
7/11/1856 Friday. Pleasant. Eunice here this afternoon. She & Ma cleaned the parlor windows. I sewed the fringe on my carpet. Mrs. P. Showerman & aunt Quance & Elizebeth called. John set up my new bedstead in the evening.
JCH: Mowed all day, Father Shepard helped me all day. Mowing east of the house. Doctor Northrup called here.
7/12/1856 Saturday Showery & very warm. Ma & I cleaned my windows this morning. Pa & John put down the carpets this afternoon. A heavy shower after noon. George Shepard called at night.
JCH: Got up three loads of hay. It rained in the afternoon. Father Shepard helped me. The pump log gave out and we found the place and fixed it.
7/13/1856 Sunday. We all attended a quarterly meeting at the school house. Ma carried Charlie, the first she ever took him to meeting. Cooler at night.
JCH: Attended a quarterly meeting at the school house pleasant and somewhat cooler.
7/14/1856 Monday. Ma & I washed alone. Eunice finished here. Pa went to the village as he is one of the jury men there. Uncle Coville here all night. He is on the grand jury.
JCH: Father Shepard went down to Batavia to attend court, he is on the jury. Uncle Covill on grand jury, he stayed here all night.
7/15/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant. Pa & uncle went to Batavia again. George Shepard here mowing for John. We commenced housekeeping to day.
JCH: We must remember this day. George Shepard here at work. We mowed over a good deal of ground. Father Shepard at Batavia. We commenced keeping house to day. All seemed very pleased.
7/16/1856 Wednesday Pleasant. Ma went up to Grandma Showermans this morning & staid all night. Pa went to the village again. I was alone all day. George Shepard helped John draw in hay. Sarah called.
JCH: George Shepard helping me get up hay, drew in five loads.
7/17/1856 Thursday Very warm. We went up to Father Hamiltons & brought Ma home. Called to Grandfathers. Mother Hamilton had finished Johns pants.
JCH: Dragging in the forenoon. We went up home in the afternoon and brought home mother Shepard. Benedict cutting father’s grass, mother finished my pants.
7/18/1856 Friday. Put down the carpet up stairs. Put up my window curtains.
JCH: Dragging all day.
7/19/1856 Saturday Eunice helped Ma, Uncle Ira Shepard & wife visited here. John went to mill. We went up to Wm Stewarts & staid all night. Commenced cutting wheat.
JCH: Went to mill and carried good wheat. Uncle Ira Shepard was here. We cut wheat in the afternoon. Cool and cloudy. Wheat some rusty. Went up to Stewarts.
7/20/1856 Sunday. Pleasant. Went to Baptist Church with them to attend the funeral of Joel Rogers little boy, about one year and a half old. Came down to the white school house at five oclock to meeting. Mr. Lane preached.
JCH: Went to the Baptist church to attend the funeral of Mr Joel Rogers child a boy little over a year old. Came down to the white school house. Mr Lane preached.
7/21/1856 Monday Cool. Washing both together. A man from the village helping Pa. They worked in the wheat.
JCH: Cutting wheat. A man from the village helping us. Cool.
7/22/1856 Tuesday Pleasant. Ma had no workmen to day. Trying to get settled since called.
JCH: Cutting wheat. I cut about three acres and a half in the orchard. Sowed after corn.
7/23/1856 Wednesday Pa & John cutting wheat. Pa’s man came back to night.
JCH: Was not well. Cutting wheat. Our man came back this morning and said he could not help us to day. Pleasant and dry and warm.
7/24/1856 Thursday. I churned alone for the first after separating our milk. A peddler called, Mr. Nichols, & Ma bought a butter bowl for me.
JCH: Cutting wheat. Our man came back to work. Hot and dry. Father Shepard was sick and did not work this after noon had the summer complaint.
7/25/1856 Friday Pleasant. Baking most all day. Ma gave me a pair of cotton sheets & a pair of flannel ones & a fine pair of pillow cases. Elizabeth called.
JCH: Cutting wheat. Father Shepard and his hired man commenced drawing in wheat. Wheat is light. Corn all drying up. Frank and Dan Shepard sick. Frank rheumatism.
7/26/1856 Saturday. Very warm. Mr. & Mrs. Northrup called this morning on their way to Warsaw. Also Phoebe Showerman & her sister & Wm. Johnson. Mr. Ludden went home to night after an hour’s washing. I called to Peters.
JCH: Cutting wheat till five oclock. Helped draw in two loads of wheat. Ludden went home at supper time. It took him about half an hour to wash. Hot and dry.
7/27/1856 Sunday. Warm. At home all day. We took a walk in the back lots & found some string beans & new potatoes for supper. Mr & Mrs Northrup called on their way back. Frank Shepard some better.
JCH: At home all day. Had some new potatoes and string beans for supper. Frank Shepard is some better. Most all at work at their wheat.
7/28/1856 Monday A fine shower this morning. Ma washed alone to day. I made my curtains & put them up between the beds. Ironed at night. Pa went to the village, he got a letter from Caroline Smith.
JCH: Frank Shepard no better. Finished cutting wheat. A fine shower this morning. Father Shepard went down to Batavia, was offered twelve shillings for his wheat if he would carry it in this week. Hot with a prospect of more rain.
7/29/1856 Tuesday Rainy this afternoon. Aunt Sarah Shepard visited Ma after noon. John & I watched with Frank Shepard, he was very sick all night, called in Dr Baker.
JCH: Father Shepard gave me half of the raking if I would rake the stubble, finished my wheat and went to raking. Sat up with Frank Shepard with Lorette. Very sick to night.
7/30/1856 Wednesday Came home this morning. Frank about the same.
JCH: Finished raking the stubble and drawing my rakings. A good many of them.
7/31/1856 Thursday Very warm. Went up to Hellen Showermans to help her quilt. Aunt Roxanny & Eunice were there, brought home my kitten.
JCH: Dragging all day. Lorette went up to Henry Showermans in the after noon, brought home a kitten. A machine coming in the morning. Warm and pleasant.
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